SBLive Arkansas Super 7 baseball rankings (April 3)
Sports became secondary Friday after a tornado ravaged Little Rock and other parts of the state. North Little Rock lost their baseball field.
Baseball is back this week, and we are in the stretch run of the regular season. See the Arkansas Super 7 high school baseball rankings below.
6A
1. Rogers (11-2)
2. Conway (12-4)
3. Rogers Heritage (14-2)
4. Bryant (10-3)
5. Cabot (9-3)
6. Springdale Har-Ber (12-4)
7. Fayetteville (9-3).
OUTSIDE LOOKING IN: FS Northside (9-7) LR Catholic (8-3)
Rogers: The Mounties had a light week with being off from conference play. They dropped an out of state game before getting a mercy rule win over Greenwood on Friday. Rogers leads the conference at 5-1 and Fort Smith Northside is up next. Offense will be at a premium as both teams haven’t allowed many runs in conference play.
Conway: It was a wild week for the Wampus Cats. Cabot led Conway for six innings before the Wampus Cats exploded in the seventh inning and won 6-3. Their road trip to Jonesboro was moved up to Thursday due to impending inclement weather and the cardiac ‘Cats blew the game open late on their way to a 5-1 win. Upset minded Central and a scrappy Catholic team are on the schedule this week.
Rogers Heritage: The War Eagles have won 14 straight games after starting the season 0-2. Luke Askew has been lights out on the mound. Aiden Adair went 3 for 3 with a homerun and three runs batted in against FS Southside. Bentonville West is up next for Heritage as they look to remain one game behind league leading Rogers.
Bryant: The Hornets dropped three games in a row before getting a mercy rule-win over Southwest. Sheridan defeated the Hornets last Monday before a dramatic walk-off loss to Central on the road on Tuesday. Gideon Motes and Ridge Southerland have been very good when they limit walks. Grant Johnson continues to be one of the best leadoff hitters in 6A. There is no time to take a breath as big conference games with Cabot and North Little Rock are on tap this week.
Cabot: Cabot is very close to sitting on top of the conference with an undefeated record. They had Conway beat before the veteran Wampus Cats came back to get the win. A nice bounce-back 9-5 win over Central on the road was just what the doctor ordered. Sophomore Derek Larson continues to hit the long ball. The power hitting righty launched a massive homerun into Central’s historic Quigley Stadium in the Panthers’ win on Thursday.
Springdale Har-Ber: Don’t look now, but the Wildcats are hot. Har-Ber is on a seven-game winning streak after dropping three straight. A series sweep of Bentonville put the Wildcats back in contention for the conference crown. Crosstown rival Springdale is next on the schedule and Fayetteville looms large next week.
Fayetteville: Jaison Delamar and Landon Schaefer were outstanding in the sweep over Northside. Delamar threw a no-hitter in game one on 83 pitches. Schaefer had the game winning hit in game one and tossed a two-hit shutout in game two. Both games were pitching duels with Fayetteville making the plays when it mattered most. Bentonville is up next.
5A
1. Valley View (10-3)
2. Little Rock Christian (13-1)
3. Greene County Tech (11-1)
4. Marion (8-4)
5. Arkansas High (10-3)
6. Maumelle (9-4)
7. Mountain Home (9-1)
OUTSIDE LOOKING IN: Sheridan (10-4), Greenwood (8-4), Batesville (10-3)
Valley View: The Blazers had their best week of the season going 4-0 against some of the best teams in the state. A doubleheader sweep of conference foe Marion was highlighted by a no-hitter from junior Eli Crecelius. They ended the week by defeating Harding Academy 4-2 and Robinson 10-1. For the week, Valley View outscored the three ranked opponents 21-4.
Little Rock Christian: The Warriors also went 4-0 on the week. Their schedule was a little easier than Valley View’s but nonetheless, the Warriors put on a show outscoring their opponents 52-2. A big conference matchup with Sylvan Hills is scheduled for Tuesday this week. This game has a little extra meaning every year with Christian head coach Brandon Eller being an alumnus and it is where he started his coaching career.
Greene County Tech: Tech is in a three-way tie for the conference lead with Valley View and Batesville after back-to-back shutouts of Paragould this past week. I was looking forward to their matchup with Brookland before the weather cancelled the event. The Eagles shouldn’t be tested this week, but Batesville and Valley View are on the schedule after West Memphis. We will know a lot about how the conference will shape up after those two series.
Marion: A pair of three run losses to No. 1 Valley View should not discourage the Patriots. Davis York pitched a great game against an exceptionally good lineup. The righty struck out 10 and only walked three in a 99 comp0lete game effort. Marion out hit Valley View in game two with York hitting a homerun and Matthew Kearney adding a double. Kearney is hitting .455 on the season just behind team leader Connor Taylor at .457. Marion should cruise through their next three conference series before taking on Batesville on April 25th.
Arkansas High: The 2023 Razorbacks remind me of the 2019 team in a few different ways. Each team has an ace that could shut down any team in class 5A. They both can score in bunches with the offense being very streaky. Ty Waid is the best power hitter in the state. The senior Razorback signee launched his tenth homerun of the season against Hot Springs last week. He hit two bombs in a 12-10 loss to Camden Fairview. The Razorbacks lead the 5A South at the halfway point with two big games against Sheridan this week.
Maumelle: The Hornets won six straight games before a 4-1 setback against Lonoke last week. Razorback commits Tag Andrews and Peyton Lee threw no-hitters in doubleheader sweep of Parkview that saw the Hornets put up 40 runs. Blaize Ward got the start against Lonoke and the sophomore competed. He is a solid third option behind Andrews and Lee. Ward also has played well at shortstop along with middle infield partner Alan Timmons. Vilonia comes to town this week before the Hornets travel to Fayetteville on Friday.
Mountain Home: The Bombers make their debut in our rankings after winning nine straight to open the season. They dropped a 4-3 non-conference game against Batesville over the weekend but swept Harrison earlier in the week by a combined score of 20-4. The Bombers also have convincing wins over Woodlawn (13-2) and Huntsville (14-4) this season. Mountain Home is tied with Greenwood in the 5A East at the moment with Van Buren next on the schedule.
4A
1. Lonoke (13-1)
2. Robinson (12-2)
3. Stuttgart (8-2)
4. Brookland (7-8)
5. Gentry (9-1)
6. Arkadelphia (6-4)
7. Pocahontas (7-3)
OUTSIDE LOOKING IN: Prairie Grove (10-3), Huntsville (10-5)
Lonoke: Another week, more dominating performances from the Jackrabbits. Jaxon Ingle had 15 strikeouts against Maumelle in a 4-1 win. Steele Eaves tossed a one hit shutout with 11 strikeouts in a 10-0 win over Heber Springs. Tripp Sullivan equaled his teammate with 11 punchouts in a one hit shutout in game two. Ingle, Drake Aycock and Cole Spears homered in the 16-0 win in game two.
Robinson: The Senators took care of business by sweeping Bauxite. They keep pace with Lonoke in the 4A-5 at 6-0. They ran into a scorching hot Valley View team on Thursday losing 10-1 which isn’t as bad as the final score. Spencer Watson and Conner Grisham are both 4-0 on the mound this season. Driftin Ladd and Jackson Ward have each hit three homeruns on the year to lead the offense.
Stuttgart: The Diamond Birds have now won eight straight games and lead the 4A-8 conference with a 4-0 record after defeating Crossett 10-9 last week. Melnychuk, Gatty and Reinhart have been lights out. Two big games this week with Monticello on the road and Star City at home. If Stuttgart can win both games, they are in the driver’s seat with a three game lead.
Brookland: The Bearcats are now 5-0 in conference play after defeating Wynne and Southside this past week. A 12-2 win against Pangburn was sandwiched between the conference wins. We expected Brookland to start racking up wins in conference play after a brutal non-conference schedule and they haven’t disappointed.
Gentry: The Pioneers have quietly gone 9-1 to start the season and sit atop the 4A-1 conference after defeating Pea Ridge and Prairie Grove last week. Gentry had a great start in 2022 as well but a tough conference was too much for them. Gravette is up next for them before getting into the heart of their conference schedule with Farmington, Huntsville and Shiloh Christian.
Arkadelphia:
Pocahontas: Another new team to the rankings in 4A, the Redskins sit behind Brookland in the 4A-1 conference. They did have a 3-2 setback against Westside but at 7-3, this team can make some noise in the second half of the conference schedule. We will know more about them after this week with games against Wynne and Brookland and a road trip to Southside.
3A
1. Harding Academy (8-5)
2. Elkins (12-1)
3. Camden Harmony Grove (13-4)
4. Rose Bud (10-4)
5. Melbourne (6-1)
6. Booneville (6-4)
7. Genoa Central (10-0)
OUTSIDE LOOKING IN: Bismarck (6-1), Charleston (7-1), Rivercrest (7-0)
Harding Academy: Wildcats stay at the top despite a 1-2 week and losing three of their last four games. Why? Their losses are to Maumelle, Cabot and Valley View. Head coach Shane Fullerton always schedules at the level he feels his team can compete.
Elkins: The Elks had a big week of baseball. Landon Martin threw a no-hitter; they had a doubleheader sweep of their closest rival in conference, and they won their second straight Ozark Classic title with a 3-2 win over Clinton on Saturday to cap a 6-0 week.
Camden Harmony Grove: The Hornets continue to play at a high level having won seven of their past eight games. The loss was a 2-0 setback to Maumelle which turned out to be a great game for Hornets pitcher Mason Morgan. Braden Brown tossed a no-hitter in the 10-0 win over Smackover. He also helped his cause with two runs batted in. Caleb Johnson was 3 for 4 and knocked in the tenth and deciding run.
Rose Bud: The Ramblers dropped a home game to Glen Rose 9-6 then lost to 2A Soutside Bee Branch 4-2 this past weekend. They did get easy wins over Heber Springs and Helena, and had a shoot out with Mount Vernon-Enola. Look for this team to round into form the second half of the season against more 3A competition.
Booneville: The Bearcats had two big wins over Clarksville and rival Danville last week. In the Danville win, Peyton Tatum had a homerun and three runs batted in, Washburn and Hicks had a homerun each and Brooks Herrera tossed a complete game with nine strikeouts. A big conference game with Charleston looms on Thursday this week.
Melbourne: The Bearcatz continue to roll. They outscored Cave City and Bald Knob by a combined score of 31-3 last week. First place in the 3A-2 conference is on the line with s trip to Walnut Ridge on Wednesday this week.
Genoa Central: The Dragons are one of the last undefeated teams in the state and they are doing it in style. They defeated Fouke 10-1 and Horatio 11-5 last week to run their record to 10-0. It is still early in conference play but a key matchup with Bismarck is scheduled for April 7th.
2A
1. Woodlawn (14-3)
2. Carlisle (10-6)
3. Bigelow (2-0)
4. Horatio (13-6)
5. Episcopal (5-6)
6. Rector (6-1)
7. Parkers Chapel (11-3)
OUTSIDE LOOKING IN: Southside Bee Branch (13-5), Cotter (7-2), Greenland (8-3)
Woodlawn: Four straight wins for the Bears after dropping a spring break game to Mountain Home. They are 5-0 in conference play and own the tiebreaker over second place Parkers Chapel.
Carlisle: The Bison racked up wins over Palestine-Wheatley, England and Mayflower last week to move their record to 10-6 and 5-0 in conference play. Dalton Ward tossed his first complete game of the season. Jonathan Pickard Jr. continues to swing a hot bat and has gotten some valuable work on the mound as well.
Bigelow: The Panthers got their second win of the year and did it in convincing fashion with a 17-0 win over Cutter Morning Star. The much-anticipated game with Episcopal was postponed due to the weather. A big week awaits as the Panthers have four games scheduled
Horatio: The Lions dropped a game against 3A Genoa Central but defeated Dierks and Kirby by a combined score of 22-5. A conference showdown with Spring Hill is scheduled for Friday.
Rector: Rector suffered a 3-1 loss to rival Buffalo Island Central. All was not lost as the Cougars defeated East Poinsett County 9-4 to end the week. Three games are scheduled this week against Bay, Cross County and conference leading Riverside. A win against Riverside will put Rector back in first place in the 2A-3 conference.
Episcopal: The Wildcats have now won four straight games to improve their record to 5-6 on the season. Their game with Bigelow was postponed. Conference games against Mountain Pine, Conway Christian and Poyen are big for the Wildcats as they look to stay at the top of the conference.
Parkers Chapel: The winning streak was interrupted by Prairie View Academy in a close 7-6 loss but the trojans rebounded with a 5-4 win over Junction City and 15-5 win over Bradley. Ouachita and Woodlawn are on tap this week.
1A
1. Taylor (10-4)
2. Norfork (6-0)
3. Wonderview (9-2)
4. Mount Ida (5-6)
5. West Side Greers Ferry (5-2)
6. Viola (6-4)
7. County Line (4-0)
OUTSIDE LOOKING IN: Hillcrest (3-4), Nemo Vista (5-6)
Taylor: The Tigers have outscored their opponents 69-6 during their four-game winning streak. Another conference title is within striking distance after a 12-2 win over Hampton moved Taylor to 3-0 in conference play.
Norfork: The Panthers have separated themselves from the rest of the conference and are one of the hottest teams in 1A along with Taylor. The “Party Crashers” averaged almost eight runs per game in wins over Concord, Valley Springs and Calico Rock.
Wonderview: The Daredevils won their own tournament this past weekend defeating Mount Ida in the finals 5-3. Sam Reynolds got the win on the mound in the title game. Gage Looney and Tyler Gotsponer were named Co-MVP for the tournament.
Mount Ida: The Lions bounced back from a brutal three game losing streak that saw them lose to Mineral Springs in conference play by winning two of three games at the Wonderview Classic. The Lions defeated West Side 15-8 and Scranton 9-4 before dropping the championship game 5-3 to the host team. Blevins, Mansfield and Kirby are next for the Lions.
West Side: The Eagles took care of business against Hillcrest before dropping a 15-8 decision against Mount Ida in the Wonderview Classic. Four games are on the schedule this week against Calico Rock, St. Joseph, Guy Perkins and conference rival Viola.
Viola: The Longhorns steamrolled Mammoth Springs and Calico Rock by a combined score of 33-0. Viola still has two games against West Side, including this Friday, and one game against Norfork on April 14th. How the Longhorns fare in those three games will determine their seed going into regional play.
The Eagles took care of business against Hillcrest before dropping a 15-8 decision against Mount Ida in the Wonderview Classic. Four games are on the schedule this week against Calico Rock, St. Joseph, Guy Perkins and conference rival Viola.
County Line: A big conference doubleheader with Scranton was postponed due to the weather but at 4-0, County Line played good baseball after inning a state championship in Basketball.
